Diaphragm for pipes.



w. c. LAUTNER. DIAPHRAGM FOR PIPES.

APPLICATION H LE!) JUNE 13, 1907.

915,683. Patented Mar. 16, 1909.

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bent to form the complete device.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. WILLIAM C. LAUTNER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SPECIALTY MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF WEBSTER, NEW YORK.

DIAPHRAGM FOR PIPES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 18, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. LAUTNER, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Diaphragms for Pipes, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.

My invention is an improved diaphragm for smoking pipes to be placed in the bowl of the pipe near the bottom upon which to receive the charge of tobacco.

One dilficulty experienced by smokers using similar devices having fiat or smooth bottoms has been that the perforations become clogged and so impede the draft and prevent the full charge of tobacco becoming consumed; and one object of this invention, among others, is to improve the form of the diaphragm and the manner of forming and arranging the perforations to the end that a better and more satisfactory draft may be afforded and a more perfect combustion result.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out and made to appear in the following description, and the novel features more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing which, with the reference characters marked thereon, forms a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ordinary smoking pipe with the bowl partly broken away showing my improved diaphragm in place therein. Fig. 2 is a plan of the diaphragm detached. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section of the diaphragm. Fig. 4 is a plan of the fiat circular sheet before being All the figures are more or less exaggerated in size to better show the construction.

Referring to the parts as shown, 1 is a ordinary tobacco pipe, and 2 my improved diaphragm in place therein, holding the tobacco 3. The diaphragm is formed from a circular sheet, 4, of metal shaped substantially as shown in Fig. 4, by being bent up at its edge to form a cup-shape body as appears in Figs. 1 and 3. The bottom or floor of the device is bent to form circular corrugations, comprising a high central dome 5 and a lower anticlinal curve or ridge 6 with alternated synclinal portions or valleys 7 and 8, the part outside of the latter being bent up, as stated, to form sides 12 giving to the device, as a whole, the form of a flaring bowl.

The inclined sides of the dome 5 are pierced with elongated o enings 9, Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and the corresponding sides of the circular ridge 6 are similarly pierced with openings 10, the longest'diameters of all of which apertures being in vertical planes. These several openings commence at points above the bottoms of the valleys or channels 7 and 8 and extend up the inclined sides of the upwardly-projecting parts 5 and 6, the openings in. the dome 6 reaching higher than the others, so that acollection of ashes or other extraneous matter in the valleys 7 and 8 does not act to wholly close said openings, the upper parts or ends of the latter always being above the accumulated matter in the valleys. Furthermore, these openings, having a sharp incline or slant, are not as liable to be clogged or closed by the tobacco pressed against the floor of the diaphragm as would be the case were the said floor substantially horizontal or only slightly curved, with apertures Wholly beneath the mass of compressed tobacco. A series of smaller holes 11 are also formed at the base of the conical or flaringwall 12, through the outer side wall of the valley 8, for the purpose of diverting a portion of the'downward draft outward toward the base of the wall 12 to insure the burning of the tobacco at the outside of the mass. Other holes 15, Figs. 3 and 4, are also preferably formed near the top of the dome to aid in making the draft easy and perfect. The perforations or openings being thus distributed over the floor of the device, and advantageously arranged, serve to cause a steady and uniform draft during the time the pipe is being smoked and insures the burning of the whole charge of the tobacco, and giving the best results in smoking, the tobacco burning evenly throughout. g a

In 'orming the rimary circular sheets or plates 4 periphera triangular ieces are cut away leaving a series of equa ly-spaced. V- shape radial openings 13, as shown in Fig.4, dividing the side 12into equal wings or sections 14, Figs. 1, 2 and 3; These openings partially close when thesheet is bent to its cup-like form,'as shown in Fig. 2, and entirely close, as appears'in Fig. 1, when the diaphragm is pressed to place in the bowlof the pipe. I also form small holes 16 near the outer or upper ends of the sections 14 into which to insert the end of a small wire hook or similar simple instrument for withdrawing the device from the bowl of the pipe at any time for the purpose of cleaning the parts or for other purposes.

It is understood that the length of the wings or sections 14 of the diaphragm is not essential to this invention. These parts may be short, as shown in Fig. 1, or longer as may be wished, reaching, if desired in any given case, to points near the mouth of the bowl of the pipe, this being a matter of judgment or convenience in the manufacture of the article. These diaphragms are roduced as articles of commerce and solr. to

the trade, they being adapted to be used A with and fit )ipes of various make and sizes. The material from which they are made is hard and elastic the sections or wings 14 yielding inwardly more or less, as may be, when applying the diaphragm to bowls of different size, said elastic sections pressing backward or outward against the inner surface of the bowl with spring action serve to retain the diaphragm in place. These sections, further, extending at some distance from the floor upward within the bowl, act to protect the latter from the burning tobacco, and keep its inner surface smooth and perfect.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A diaphragm for smoking-pipes of materially less height than the depth of the bowl and constructed to be frictionally held entirely within the bowl below the top thereof, consisting of a cup-shape holder for the tobacco, with floor bent to form a high central dome and a ridge of less altitude outside of the dome, there being perforations through the inclined sides of the dome and the ridge.

2. A diaphragm for smoking-pipes of materially less height than the depth of the bowl and constructed to be frictionally held entirely within the bowl below the top thereof, consisting of a cup-shape holder for the tobacco, with floor bent to form a high central dome and alternated anticlinal and synclinal portions outside of the dome, and perforations through the inclined sides of said raised parts of the floor.

3. A diaphragm for smoking-pipes of materially less height than the depth of the bowl and constructed to be frictionally held entirely within the bowl below the top thereof, consisting of a hollow holder for the tobacco the floor of which having a dome at the middle, and a ridge and alternated valleys outside of the dome,'the inclined sides of said raised parts of the floor being perforated.

4. A diaphragm for smoking-pipes of materially less height than the depth of the bowl and constructed to be frictionally held entirely within the bowl below the top thereof,

consisting of a holder for the tobacco, the floor of which being curved to form a central dome with alternated high and low annular parts outside of and concentric with the dome, and elongated perforations'through the inclined sides of said raised parts of the floor.

5. A diaphragm for pipes of materially less height than the depth of the bowl and constructed to be frictionally held entirely within the bowl below the top thereof, consisting of a holder for the tobacco having a dome and high-and low parts around the dome, and elongated openings through the inclined sides of the dome and said high parts, the axes of the openings being in vertical planes.

6. A diaphragm for pipes of materially less height than the depth of the bowl and constructed to be frictionally held entirely within the bowl below the top thereof, consisting of a holder for the tobacco having an internal high dome with circular high part around the dome, and perforations in the sides of the dome and said circular part, the perforations in the dome being higher than the perforations in said circular part.

7. A diaphragm for pipes adapted to be frictionally held within the bowl below the upper edge thereof, consisting of a cup-shape body for holding tobacco with the bottom formed into raised portions and valleys alternated, the raised portions being perforated and the sides of the hollow bodybeing divided to form elastic wings to press the bowl of the pipe, said wings having perforations near their outer ends.

8. A diaphragm for a pipe adapted to be frictionally held within the bowl below the upper surface thereof, consisting of a cupshaped body for holding tobacco with the bottom formed with circular corrugations comprising a high central dome and a lower anticlinal ridge with alternated synclinal valleys, the inclined sides of the said dome and the inclined sides of said ridge being perforated.

9. A diaphragm for a pipe adapted to be frictionally held within the bowl below the upper surface thereof, consisting of acupshaped body for holding tobacco with the bottom formed with circular corrugations comprising a high central dome and a lower anticlinal ridge with alternated synclinal valleys, the inclined sides of the said dome and the inclined sides of said ridge being perforated, the perforations being vertically elongated and those of the dome extending higher than the others.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of June, 1907, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM C. LAUTN ER.

Witnesses:

E. B. WHITMORE, A. M. WHITMORE. 

